20201005Comments(2).pdf

From:PUC Consumer Comments
To:Jan Noriyuki
Subject:Notice: A comment was submitted to PUCWeb
Date:Sunday, October 4, 2020 7:00:06 AM
The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Donald Kemper
Submission Time: Oct 3 2020 5:29PMEmail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]Address: 1821 Edgecliff Terrace
Boise, ID 83702
Name of Utility Company: Idaho Power
Case ID: IPC-E-20-26
Comment: "Idaho Public Utility Commissioners, My name is Don Kemper, I live at 1821Edgecliff Terrace in Boise. I’m a volunteer for the Citizen’s Climate Lobby. I applaud the
PUC’s commitment to a “glidepath” toward clean energy. Abandoning the current Schedule84 incentives would take you off that path. The Jim Bridger plant emits over 12 million tons of
CO2 each year. That’s often needed to meet peak summer power demand. However, sinceirrigation was responsible for 26.6% of Idaho Power’s total power demands in July 2019
extending Schedule 84 provides a path for greatly reducing coal generation. Solar forirrigation matches peak solar days with peak demand days and 75% of peak hours. Under
Schedule 84 solar irrigation grew fivefold since January, 2019. Since Bridger’s CO2 emissionshave a half-life of 27 years, any reduction in coal use would yield climate benefits for decades.
Continuing five-fold annual growth for two years would bring 50% of Idaho irrigation undersolar. At the 9/28 staff workshop PUC Engineer Mike Morrison said that growth in solar
irrigation “would certainly help with peak demands”. Commissioners, please ask Idaho Powerto do an ARORA modeling to determine how many million tons of CO2 could be kept out of
the air if 50% of Irrigation power were solar generated. Unfortunately, the Idaho Powerproposal creates enough uncertainty to cause irrigators to freeze future solar investments.
Maintaining the 25-year dollar-for-dollar commitment for new and old installations andraising the maximum capacity above 100MW would assure continued private investment
which would help manage peak loads and greatly reduce coal burning. That would be a boonfor the farmers and a boon for the climate with the potential for an earlier exit to coal. Scaling
back coal would also be a boon for the Idaho economy. The 1626 Idaho jobs in wind and solarhave already outpaced oil and gas jobs by 38%. The proposal would gut growth in Idaho solar
jobs and continue sending energy money out of state. Coal-generated power has 2.4 times theCO2 emissions of natural gas. Coal is a doomed industry even now, but particularly once
carbon prices are put into effect. The smart move is to keep the coal in the ground and let thesun and wind do the work. There is no better opportunity than Schedule 84 to advance the
clean energy glidepath. Idaho Power is a good company. Do what is needed to help themthrive. But please don’t sacrifice the glidepath to clean e"
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From:PUC Consumer Comments
To:Jan Noriyuki
Subject:Notice: A comment was submitted to PUCWeb
Date:Monday, October 5, 2020 10:00:04 AM
The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Greg Mladenka
Submission Time: Oct 5 2020 9:15AMEmail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]Address: 156 SOUTH 16TH AVENUE
POCATELLO, ID 83201
Name of Utility Company: Idaho Power
Case ID: IPC-E-20-26
Comment: "The net metering program for solar energy should continue in a way thatmaximizes use of solar energy - including agricultural use for irrigation. By encouraging solar
energy use for irrigation at a fair and stable price, conventionally-produced power can be usedin other markets, while reducing the need to build more conventional power
plants/hydroelectric facilities. In the long term, use of alternative energy sources such as solar(or wind) could result in eventually removing a dam or two. This has broad ranging
implications, including increased energy security and river recovery for salmon."
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